BLUE MOODS

I am a big fan of Miles's music until the mid-1960's. He always recruited some of the best musicians in jazz to play with him, and he was always innovative. His output of the late 60's, although I'm sure it's well-played, is just too structure-less for my tastes. I say this to provide a frame of reference for my review of Blue Moods. I think this is a great album, although it may not be Kind of Blue or Sketches of Spain. I give this one 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4 since we can't give half stars.

Others may criticize Blue Moods for being too laid back. I think Miles and his cohorts didn't strive for intensity. I believe they accomplished what they set out to do beautifully. I am not a musician, but the trombone must be a relatively inflexible instrument. Brit Woodman plays brilliantly on this album. I am not a big fan of vibes, so the fact that Teddy Charles is not the center of attention here is actually a bonus in my book. My favorite track is the most lively, "Alone Together". I like "There's No You" also.

I grew up in the 1970's, and the average length for an album side was about 20 minutes. Therefore, I would call this more an EP than an album. Maybe the criteria has more to do with how the album was originally marketed than the actual playing time. I know it's a matter of semantics, but I felt it was worth stating. Regardless of some reservations, Blue Moods is an excellent recording from perhaps the pinnacle of Miles Davis' career.